Game
by Minunlike
Summary: Can I really be the hero...?


Of course you want to be the center of attention. Doesn't everybody?

Then again, it's so easy for everyone else. In this small town, all you have to do is be slightly smarter, slightly prettier, slightly better than normal, and people will think you're absolutely amazing.

All the kids your age just seem to have friends materialize out of nowhere. That's no exaggeration; Some new transfer student moved into town from the city, and in just two days, people were swarming around him and asking to be his friend. The kid didn't do anything special, he just waltzed into town one day. So why did everyone instantly adore him?

_Probably because he's handsome and cool and smart and he's so nice and he can do so many awesome things-_

-Well, so what? You're cool too! And smart! And you don't look absolutely terrible... And you can be nice when you feel like it!

But it's not just him, either. All the people in Inaba, even the ones who clearly have something wrong with them, have someone to give them the time of day. What makes you so different from them?

Whatever. It's not like you need friends, anyway. You can have fun without them.

You can just go home and play video games.

Video games are fun, aren't they? Your favorite kinds are the turn-based RPGs. Those games actually take patience and strategy, and they make you feel really good about yourself when you beat them. Plus, you know you're a lot better at them than most of the idiots in this town. You can spend hours just grinding so you can kill that next boss, because you know that all those levels will be worth it eventually. You can spend hours just talking to all the NPCs, because you know they'll always answer you, even if most of them just repeat the same thing over and over again.

「Thanks for saving me!」

「I am forever in your debt.」

「How can I ever repay you?」

You know that it means absolutely nothing, but it still makes you smile when those words are directed at you.

Then, if you play long enough... it starts to feel like you're actually part of the game. And it's one of the most awesome things you've ever experienced. You're the hero. You're the brave knight that everyone depends on to save them. You're the one that everyone showers their affections upon, whether it be kings offering their fortunes to you, ordinary townsfolk handing over their prized heirlooms, or princesses begging you to make them your brides.

If only that transfer student could see you now! You, who banished the evil from this world! You, the person to whom countless people owed their lives! Then he would see that he's not the picture-perfect man he thinks he is! Then _everyone_ would see how cool you are! Then...

...And that's the point where you realize that you fell asleep in front of the TV again. That wonderful place was all just a dream, and now you're back in the real world. The world where that transfer student is still the most amazing person in existence.

The world where you're _nothing_.

...

Whatever. It's not like you care much about this world, anyway. Why bother trying to make friends in a boring world like this? It's not as if anyone here has any helpful items or quests that are worth your while. Besides, none of them will answer when you try to talk to them, and even if they do, they always repeat the same things over and over.

「Do I know you?」

「What the hell do you want with me?」

「What a loser! Get outta my face, you freak!」

「...I'm not going...」

That's what you hear, no matter how many times you talk to them.

Not that you care.

You see the transfer student and his party walking around town every so often. Among the party members is a fair and beautiful princess whom you know very well. She's supposed to be the most difficult girl to obtain in this town, and there's that transfer student, talking to her like he's known her all his life. It isn't fair.

She was supposed to be _your _princess.

You're the one who's known her all his life. You're the one who saw her first. But nope, that transfer student just waltzed in and swept her off her feet right in front of you, and there was nothing you could do about it.

There's nothing you can do about a lot of things, really. Those stupid kids who steal your princesses away from you, those biker gangs who always harass you, and that stupid King Moron who makes your life a living hell. There's nothing you can do about any of it.

So you just hang around the Shopping District, though you don't really have any purpose there. Then again, you really don't have a purpose anywhere. But that's fine. Who needs purpose? Certainly not you.

... Oh, is that the transfer student?

... It is. He's standing in front of you, not talking at all, but just staring. That smile on his face really annoys you... and he just keeps standing there, acting as if he expects you to pour your heart out in front of him.

And that's exactly what you do.

It's weird... You're supposed to hate this guy, because he's the one who snatched away all that you've sought in an instant... but being presented with the opportunity to communicate with an actual living _being_ just causes the words to come pouring endlessly out of your mouth.

You tell him everything that's on your mind. You talk about how much you hate the police force in this town. You talk about taxes. You talk about all the slutty girls in your school. You talk about the terrible community on your favorite MMO. You talk about King Moron. After a while, it all just seems to blend together.

Before you know it, you've forgotten that the transfer student is even there. It's just so much fun being able to talk to _somebody_ that everything else becomes completely irrelevant.

Finally, after you've finished, you turn around to see if he has anything to say, or maybe ask him if you can join his party...

...but he's gone.

You know you shouldn't be surprised, but that doesn't make you any less angry. You know he probably ran off to have fun with the princess and all of his other comrades. After all, what would anyone have to gain from recruiting a low-level nothing like you?

_But I'm not nothing,_ you remind yourself. _And once they realize that, they'll all come crawling back to me, and they'll beg for me to be their friend._

But no one comes.

No matter how long you stand there, no one ever wants to join your party. It seems that theirs are always full. That transfer student has his party perpetually swarming about him, and your own classmates are too busy with each other to accept your company. Even that fat cow from Yasogami always seems to be talking and laughing with the forty-something-year-old woman who used to teach at your school.

That's fine, though. They'll notice you someday.

...

...Look, the transfer student is sitting at Junes's food court. And there's someone sitting with him.

...Is that the princess?

...It is.

They're sitting ridiculously close to each other, having some sort of conversation. You move closer to them so that you can hear what they are saying.

The transfer student is speaking. "I'm sorry for dragging you out here, but... there's something I wanted to ask you."

The princess blushes, then begins stuttering like an idiot. "Oh no, it... i-it's no problem at all. What do you need?"

Then they both just... stare at each other, for what seems like an agonizing eternity, before the transfer student finally answers her.

"Well, to be frank... I was wondering if you'd like to be my girlfriend."

There's no way the princess would accept such a proposal, you think to yourself. You should know; you're among the dozens who've tried.

As you look to the princess, her blush deepens. "A-Are you serious? But, um... w-why me?"

He flashes her a dumb-looking grin. "Because I love you."

Then the princess smiles back at him. "Well, I'm glad you brought me here, because... I love you too..."

And all you can do is stare in disbelief as the princess, the girl you had dreamed of being with for as long as you can remember, goes into the arms of a man who has known her for only two months.

...

But that's fine. He can have her. It's not your problem anymore.

You calmly leave Junes and go back home. There, you sit in front of your TV and start up one of your old RPGs.

Who needs anyone from the outside world? If you want adoration and companionship, all you need to do is press A.

Finally, after hours of grinding, you've managed to defeat the dark wizard that was holding the Princess captive. You use the Final Key to unlock her cage, and then you press A to talk to her.

「My hero! I knew you'd be able to save me!」

You scroll through the dialogue.

「Come, let's escape from this evil place.」

A cutscene follows in which the Hero returns triumphantly to the castle town with the Princess in tow. The two of them are smiling jovially as the image fades, and the ending credits begin. After you sit through those, you begin the playable epilogue.

You make a beeline for the Princess, who is sitting in her throne room beside the king. You press A to talk to her.

「Mr. Hero... I knew you'd come... I have something I want to tell you...」

You read the Princess's words intently.

「I realized it when I first saw you in the castle...」

Suddenly, the scene you witnessed at the food court pops up in your head. You do your best to shut it out, because you _don't care _about that anymore.

「I wanted to say this a long time ago, but I was kidnapped before I had the chance...」

But as hard as you try, the memory of their smiling faces won't leave your mind. That's okay, though. Because you _don't care _about them.

「I-I mean... I know I don't deserve a hero as noble and kind as yourself...」

Yup, they can go screw each other as much as they want. You're perfectly content right here.

「Sorry... what I want to say is...」

Those losers aren't good enough for you. You don't need them.

「I love you...」

...

The dialogue box ends there. You press A again, but the same three words appear.

「I love you...」

Normally, those words would make you smile. For some reason, though, all you can see is the smiling face of the princess as she leans into the transfer student's embrace.

...

You press A again.

「I love you...」

You see the princess chatting away excitedly with her fellow party members, as if there's not a problem in the world. She laughs heartily as one of them equips a funny-looking pair of glasses, and her joyful voice rings loud and clear.

And then, you see the disturbed look on her face as she stares blankly at you, as though she's looking upon something that has no right to exist. The transfer student looks the other way, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

You laugh, because you don't care. They're all stupid, and you don't need them. Not when you become the Hero that will be remembered by everybody. Not when you have a Princess who will stay with you for as long as you want.

Your laughter fills the room, somewhat similar to the amused laughter of that worthless, good-for-nothing princess. How stupid will she feel when she realizes that she should have gone with you instead of that dumb transfer student?

But it's too late now. You'll never forgive her. You'll never forgive _any_ of them.

...

Suddenly, you notice something wet on your controller. You wipe it away, only for more of it to take its place. Then, you notice that it's all over your face. You try to wipe it off, but no matter how much you do, it won't go away. As you keep trying to get it off of you, you begin to hear pathetic, frustrated sobbing, a sound that would be music to your ears if only that voice were the transfer student's and not your own.

You stand up, grab the console, yank it out of its socket, and throw it across the room. The sound it makes as it hits the wall and breaks into pieces instantly makes you feel better. You imagine the broken, mangled body of that transfer student in place of the console, or maybe the severed head of the princess, or even the mutilated limbs of that shithead Morooka.

They think they're better than you, but they're wrong. And you're going to make them pay, because it's _all their fault_. They'll be sorry they ignored you, and they'll finally see that you're worth talking to.

...

Maybe then you'll consider forgiving them.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Yes, it's another one about Mitsuo. I just think he's really fun to write about, even if my writing fails to do him justice. It's kind of sad that minor characters like him get so little attention compared to the main cast and Adachi. Regardless, I hope this was an enjoyable read for you.<em>


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